Lining and pad for stair-carpetings.



J. H. BBALE, DEGD. J. H. & A. M. BEALE, ADMINISTRATORS. LINING AND PAD FOR STAIR CARPETINGS. APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 20. 1905.

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J, H. BEALE, DECD. J. H. & A. M. BEALE, ADMINISTRATORS. LINING AND PAD FOR STAIE CARPETINGS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1905.

Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

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JOSEPH H. BEALE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS; JOSEPH H. IBEALE, OF CAMBRIDGE,

MASSACHUSETTS, AND ARTHUR M. BEALE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ADMIN- ISTRATORS OF SAID JOSEPH H. BEALE, DECEASED.

LIN'ING AND, PAD FOR STAIR-CARPETINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Cot. d, 191C.

Application filed November 20, 1905. Serial No. 288,107.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. BEALE, a cltizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Linings and Pads for Stair-Carpetings, &c., of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

At the present time it is customary to employ pads or cushions beneath a stair carpeting, in connection with the treads of the stairs and their nosings. These serve to cushion and protect from wear the corresponding portions of the carpeting. At the risers, however, there is nothing used to proof persons ascending and descending the stairs.

One object of the invention is to remedy this deficiency; This object I attain through the employment, in combination with tread ornosing pads, -of a continuous strip or runnerof lining material extending the length ofthe stairs, and serving to cover and protect the risers in addition. to cooperating with the said pads in cushioning'the treads and nosings. An advantage of the continuous strip or runner is the fact that it enables smaller and thinner nosing or tread pads to be used than heretofore, with an economy in the use of material and a saving in cost; and

it enables the pads to be made of materials not heretofore employed or deemed to be suitable for the purpose. Furthermore, the pads at present most extensively in use have the base part thereof made of stiff hard cardboardbetween which and the wood of the tread nothing intervenes except a thin layer of cheese-cloth or the like constituting a portion of the cover of the pad. The base of a pad of the kind aforesaid has no elasticity. When the continuous strip or runner of lining material is employed in accordance with the invention in connection with a pad of this description, it serves as a cushion beneath the hard and stiff base, giving the same yielding capacity below the latter that is'possessed by the upper portion of the pad.

Other objects of the invention are to secure a neat appearance along the side-edges of a continuous strip of stair-carpeting or the like having a continuous strip or runner enable the edge of the said strip or runner to be concealed from the View of a person passing along the hall at the side of the stairs. These objects I attain by the combi- ,nation with a continuous strip of stair-carpeting or the like, of a continuous strip or runner of lining material having the marginal portions thereof reduced in thickness. The thin or reduced marginal portions of the said continuous strip or runner permit the marginal portions of the carpeting to lie close to the surface to which the lining and carpeting are applied, and enables the carpeting to conceal the edge-portions of the lining from view. If the continuous strip or runner were of full thickness to its edges, the edge-portions of the strip of stair-carpeting would be held up so that an edge of the said strip or runner would be exposed to the View of a person passing the stairs at the side of the latter. Again, through the employment of a continuous strip or runner of lining material somewhat less in width than the carpeting, the marginal portions of the carpeting are permitted to project beyond the side-edges of the said strip or runner,

and thus to lie snugly against the surface upon which the two strips rest, as well as more completely and effectually concealing the said side-edges. This feature of concealing the edge of the lining strip or runner is of especial importance in connection with the coverings of stairs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a continuous strip or runner 0f lining material which shall be especially'suitable for use on stairs, and in other connections as well in which a narrow width of carpeting and corresponding narrow width of lining is required to be employed. In attaining this object I apply to each longitudinal edge or margin of a suitable continuous strip of lining material a strip of material of one or more thicknesses as desired, causing the same to project transversely beyond such edge or margin, and to form a finish and preferably a binding therefor, the said strip preferably having less thickness than the body of the strip or runner so as to constitute a thin or reduced marginal portion, as aforesaid, and being made of stiff material or else stiffened. The stifi'ness of the marginal portion serves to keep the soft and limpsy lining extended and flat.

In the drawings,Figure l is a view in vertical section illustrating a flight of stairs with my invention applied to the same in connection with a strip of stair carpeting. Fig. 2 shows in perspective a portion of a continuous strip or runner of lining material having applied thereto a longitudinally doubled or folded binding and edging strip, with stiffener strip inclosed within the said binding and edging strip. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the application to an edge of the lining strip or runner of a flat strip of suitable material having one edge thereof secured to an edge of the body of the lining strip or runner. Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views showing other modifications. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the pad which is hereinafter described, a portion of the said pad being broken away in order to illustrate the internal structure, and the intermediate portion thereof being omitted to save space. Fig. 7 is a somewhat similar view, although no portion of the exterior of the pad is broken away or omitted.

Having reference to ,the drawings,in Fig. l, the treads of a flight of stairs are designated 1, 1, etc., their nosings 2, 2, etc., and the risers 3, 3, etc. At 4 is a length of stair-carpeting applied to the said flight of stairs.

5, etc., are stair-pads covering the respect1ve treads and their nosings, and 6 is a continuous strip or runner of lining material such as has been referred to above. The strip or runner 6 is less in width than the carpeting with which it is used, in order thatthe marginal portions thereof. may be covered and concealed by those of the staircarpeting. It extendsthe entire length of the stairs, it covering the tread of the top step, and terminating atthe floor below. The'pads 5, 5, etc., are shaped to fit around or embrace the nosings of the treads, their curved nosing-portions serving to press and hold the portion of'lining 6 which extends from one nosing to the next tread close in agamst the corresponding riser, as shown. The lining 6 may overlie the pad, if deemed desirable, in which case the intermediate portion aforesaid of the lining will not be held by the pads close in against the riser as ust explained.

Fig. 2 shows an edge of the continuous lining strip or runner having applied thereto a strip 7 which is-doubled or folded longitudinally and receives between its approximated free edges the said edge of the liningstrlp or runner, the lining strip or runner and bmder being secured together by stitches 8, 8, etc. Suitable adhesive mate-. rial may be employed in lieu of the stitches for the purpose of securing the different portions together if desired, or. in addition thickness than thebody of the lining. This diminished thickness permits the marginal portion of the carpeting to fit closely against the surface on which it rests, obviating thereby elevation of the carpeting such as would expose to view the underlie. Preferably, the strip 7 is of a color to harmonize suitably with the general tone of the carpeting in connection with which the lining is used, so that in case exposure does occur, the visible portion. of the strip 7 shall not be noticeable, or conspicuous. At 9, Fig. 2, is a stiffener strip that is inclosed within the doubled binding strip 7. This strip may be formed of any moderately stiff material. Preferably I employ paper-material, such, for instance, as the so-called paper-felt. in Fig. 2, the doubled binding strip 7 i is composed of cloth, although in some cases it may be composed of pa er. 'The projecting reduced marginal strip itself may consist of material possessing or having imparted thereto a suitable degree of stiffness, in which case the use of a separate stifiening piece or strip may be dispensed with. Thus, I may employ a cloth strip which is stiffened with starch or size. f

I contemplate in some cases; using instead of the doubled strip'of Fig. 2, a flat strip 71, as in Fig. 3, having one edge thereof secured to an edge of the body of the lining strip or runner.

Fig. 4 shows a marginal strip composed of a thickness or layer of paper felt having united to one surface thereof a thickness or layer 81 of woven fabric.

Fig. 5 shows a marginal strip composed of paper felt having united to one surface thereof a thickness or layer 82 of smooth hard paper. If desired, woven fabric or paper may be united-to each surface of the paper felt.

A continuous strip or runner made in conformity with the invention may be employed, also, beneath a long and narrow strip or tracker of carpeting on a level floor, as, for instance, in a hall-way.

The tread-pad shown in Fig. 6 is composed of a plurality of layers of material lying one upon another. The top layer 13 and the bottom layer 14 are formed of one piece of sheet-material that is folded or doubled back upon itself. Between the said top and bottom layers are .interposed intermediate layers 15, 16, and 17. The number of these layers may vary more or less in practice. The layers 15 and 16 are composed of paper felt, and the layer 17 is composed of loose fibrous material in the form of a earners lap 01' bat. Preferably, the layers 15 and 16 are of a soft and spongy character, and usually are of greater thickness than the outer layers 13 and 14. Layer 17 may be composed of other loose material, such, for instance, as more or less finely-divided cork or sponge, suitably held together. In some cases the layer of loose orfibrous material may be omitted, or its place may be taken by one of paper-felt. The layers 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 may be inclosed within a cover of woven fabric, such a cover being shown at 18 in Fig. 7. The layers may, if desired, be secured together at various points inthe width and length of the pad, by means of tufting or stitches, or by adhesive material. Fig. 6 shows spots of paste at 19, 19, etc. The combined layers are bent or curved as at a, Fig.6, to form a nosing portion to fit the nosing of a stair-tread. In order to pr0- vide a closed edge to come next adjacent to the riser, the bend or fold of the piece of material of which the outer layers 13 and 14 are composed, is disposed at such edge, as shown clearly in Fig. 6. In order to reduce the thickness of the marginal portions of the pad along the back and sides, the inner layers 15 and 16 preferably are made less in length and width than the layers 13 and 14, the layer 16 being in addition, less in length and width than layer 15. Thereby the pad is graduated or reduced in thickness toward the back edge thereof which comes next the riser, and also towardthe side edges. This reduction in the thickness of the lateral marginal portion enables the carpeting which is applied over the pad to fit closely to the tread along its edges and ad jacent the riser. The layers 13 and 14 preferably are secured together along the ends of the pad, and at the front edge of the latter, by means of adhesive material or stitches. The layer 17 is intended to cushion the pad chiefly at and adjacent the nos ing of the tread to which the pad is applied. The said layer is shown as extending but a short distance to the rear from the curved portion of the pad. The distance however may vary.

The pad shown and described herein forms the subject of claims in a divisional application.

What is claimed as my invention is,

1. In underlies for stair carpeting, in combination, a continuous strip or runner of lining material extending over the respective treads of the steps of a flight of stairs, and in addition protecting the risers of the said steps, and a series of independent pads separately applied in addition to the respective steps, the said strip supplementing the said pads over the treads.

2. In underlies for stair carpeting, in combination, a continuous strip or runner of lining material extending over the respective treads of the steps of a flight of stairs,'and in addition protecting the risers of the said steps, and a series of separate and independent pads fitting the noslngs of the respective steps, the said strip supplementing the said pads over the treads.

3. I11 underlies for. carpeting, the combination with a narrow continuous strip or runner of lining material, of a finishing strip doubled upon itself longitudinally and re ceiving between its upper and lower portions the longitudinal margin of the said strip or runner, and a stiffener strip inclosed within the fold of the said finishing strip.

4. In underlies for stair carpeting, the combination of a continuous strip or runner, and independent and separate pads having margins of graduated thickness.

5. In underlies for stair-carpeting, the combination of a continuous strip or runner, and pads, composed of a plurality of layers having stepped edges whereby marginal portions of reduced thickness are produced.

6. ln underlies for stair-carpeting. the combination of a continuous strip or runner.

and pads composed of a plurality of layershaving stepped edges whereby marginal portions of reduced thickness are produced, one of the layers of each pad being a cushioning layer of loose material.

7. In underlies for stair-carpeting, the combination of a continuous strip or runner, and pads, each comprising a plurality of layers, one or more thereof being composed of paper felt andone being a cushioning layer of loose material, and having the edges of the layers stepped to produce marginal portions of reduced thickness.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHAS. F. RANDALL, EDITH J. ANDERSON. 

